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Introduction The US News & World Report (USNWR) ranking is based on a reputation and prestige survey mailed to academic peers. This study's goal was to determine direct and indirect institutional, faculty, and student attributes predictive of the 2016 USNWR pharmacy rankings. Methods The Resource and Reputation Model (RRM) explains the development of perceptions of reputation and prestige. Institutional characteristics as well as student and faculty resources and outcomes were obtained from various sources. Path analysis determined the total, direct, and indirect effects. Results USNWR rankings were higher if programs were older, affiliated with an academic health center, classified as a research-intensive institution, and members of a Power 5 football conference. Program rank was predicted by the number of full-time faculty equivalents and pharmacy practice h-index score and funding. Pharmacy College Admissions Test comprehensive percentile and first-time North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) pass rate were also predictive of higher rank. All but affiliation with an academic health center or research-intensive institution directly predicted rank, but they had indirect impact through programmatic quality attributes. Conclusions The RRM helps to explain pharmacy programs' USNWR rankings. Elucidation of its components provide insight into explaining the rankings and improving the methodology. Academic pharmacy could work with USNWR to develop criteria-based objective methodology to validate and improve rankings. Faculty, faculty productivity, and student academic preparation and success on NAPLEX influence USNWR rankings more than immutable factors such as program age and affiliations. more...

Introduction This study assessed student perceptions, preparation, and result use strategies of the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA). Secondarily, it studied the effect of schools/colleges of pharmacy (S/COP) PCOA management on student perceptions. Methods A 52-item electronic questionnaire assessed PCOA preparation of final year students, review/use of results, remediation participation, self-reported motivation, and perceptions of the exam's ability to measure PCOA blueprint areas and North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination (NAPLEX)/advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) readiness. Programs were given a questionnaire to determine their PCOA practices. Results The student survey was completed by 341 students (40% response rate). Students prepared very little for the PCOA and few reported participation in PCOA-based remediation (6%). Students perceived the PCOA to measure the four domains moderately well, although administrative sciences were significantly lower. Students reported less confidence in the exam's ability to measure APPE/NAPLEX-readiness. Although few used the PCOA to guide their NAPLEX preparation (18%), they were more likely to do so than for APPEs (4%). Students reported a higher perceived increase in motivation if PCOA results were connected to APPE placement, remediation, and progression as opposed to prizes, rewards, or other recognitions. Conclusion This is the first multi-institutional study to review student perceptions about the PCOA. These data can be used along with other PCOA data to help schools develop incentive, remediation, and examination administration procedures depending on the programs desired use for the PCOA exam. more...

Introduction Students consider numerous variables before applying to a doctor of pharmacy program. Some key non-modifiable variables may include program length, institution type, graduating class size, and pharmacy school grading system. The purpose of this study was to determine if there exists a difference in North American Pharmacists Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) performance based upon these variables. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study using observational data. NAPLEX pass rates from 2015 to 2017 were obtained from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) website. Data for pharmacy programs were extracted from the program, Pharmacy College Application Service, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, and NABP websites. Results Based on each pharmacy program's performance on NAPLEX, variables with significantly higher pass rates were public institutions and those with graduating class sizes of 100 or more students. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that graduating class size of 100 or more students and public institutions were significant predictors of success on the NAPLEX. Lower pass rates in 2016 may be due to the examination changes implemented by NABP that year. It is possible that programs and students were not being adequately prepared for the changes made to the NAPLEX format. Although not statistically significant, there was a rise in pass rates between the years 2016 and 2017. Therefore, future studies such as this one should be performed to compare NAPLEX pass rates from 2017 forward. more...

Studies have been conducted to identify factors that may predict North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) outcomes, but there is no proposed single or combination of predictors that can be implemented reliably in academia. We aimed to develop a NAPLEX outcomes predictive model that could be practical, measurable, and reliable.The study cohort consisted of students who graduated from 2012 to 2016 who had taken NAPLEX and whose first-attempt examination scores were available to the school of pharmacy. Students were considered to have poor performance on NAPLEX if they received an overall score of less than or equal to 82. Linear and logistic regression analysis were utilized to identify independent predictors.Seventy of 433 (16.2%) students were identified as poor performers. Independent factors that were associated with a poor outcome on NAPLEX were: age28 years at graduation, Pharmacy College Admission Test scaled score74, High Risk Drug Knowledge Assessment score90, third-year Pharmacy Curriculum Outcome Assessment scaled score349, and grades of74 in more than three courses. These predictors were utilized to stratify students into four risk groups: Low, Intermediate-1, Intermediate-2, and High. Mean NAPLEX scores for these groups were 106.4, 97.4, 87.1, and 75.1, respectively.The model can be used as a practical tool to identify students who are at risk for poor performance on NAPLEX. Four of the five predictors in the model could be generalizable to other schools of pharmacy. more...

Introduction Many predictors of success on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX) have been studied, but little information is available regarding the effect of assessments in the clinical skills setting on student success. One way to determine if these assessments affect NAPLEX success is to review student performance in clinical skills laboratory courses (termed patient care lab [“PCL”] at our institution), which incorporate such assessments. Methods Students (n = 88) enrolled in a four quarter PCL sequence completed several individual assessments (both knowledge and skills-based), including drug information (DI) quizzes/final exams, patient case presentations and associated critical thinking questions, and formal DI responses. Linear regression assessed the relationship between PCL assessments and NAPLEX scores. Statistical tests were performed using IBM SPSS version 22 with a p-value Results While drug information responses were not predictive of total NAPLEX scores (p = 0.192), the patient case presentation and associated critical thinking questions predicted 31.1% of variability (p Conclusion Performance of one cohort of students on certain pharmacy clinical skills lab assessments was predictive of total scores on the NAPLEX. Students who struggle with assessments in the clinical skills lab setting may be targets for early intervention to help improve the likelihood of success. More research is needed to fully elucidate the relationship between assessments in the clinical skills lab setting and NAPLEX performance. more...

Objective. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe characteristics of preparation programs for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) that are currently used by colleges and schools of pharmacy and (2) evaluate these program characteristics in relation to first-attempt NAPLEX pass rates. Methods. This cross-sectional study was based on an online survey administered between February and March 2020. Assessment leads from 143 PharmD programs were invited to answer questions on their schools’ PharmD program characteristics and various aspects of NAPLEX preparation programs. The study included regression analyses to investigate associations between the NAPLEX first-attempt pass rates and PharmD demographic characteristics as well as between first-attempt pass rates and various aspects of the NAPLEX preparation programs. Finally, common themes from open-ended questions were identified. Results. Fifty-eight participants completed the survey out of 132 successfully delivered email invitations (response rate = 44%). Fifty participants (86%) indicated that their PharmD program offers a NAPLEX preparation program. Our data indicate that offering a NAPLEX preparation program was not significantly associated with higher NAPLEX first-attempt pass rates. The analysis identified possible explanations for this lack of association, including student concerns with balancing a preparation program with advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) and the faculty workload associated with delivering such programs. Conclusion. The current findings show no association between offering a NAPLEX preparation program and NAPLEX first-attempt pass rates. Future research should continue to examine the impact of these programs on individual school pass rates and factors that may enhance student motivation to engage in these programs. more...

Introduction We created a comprehensive, internally developed, knowledge-based assessment called the Year 1 Comprehensive Abilities Assessment (Y1-CAA) in order to address the unique assessment needs of an accelerated three-year pharmacy program. This study investigated the correlation between the Y1-CAA and performance on a variety of academic factors, including, but not limited to, curricular performance, Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) scores, and North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) scores. Methods The 120 question Y1-CAA was created and benchmarked by the faculty and given to students at the end of the first professional year. Y1-CAA scores were compared to a host of variables, including student demographics, pre-pharmacy grade point average (GPA), Pharmacy College Admission Test scores, PCOA scores, pharmacy school GPA, and NAPLEX scores using appropriate statistical methods. Results: A total of 233 students were included in the study. Performance on the Y1-CAA was positively correlated with performance in the pharmacy curriculum and on the PCOA. Y1-CAA performance also showed a significant correlation with NAPLEX scaled scores (R = 0.568, P Conclusions This study found a positive correlation between performance on the Y1-CAA and academic success, performance on the PCOA, and performance on the NAPLEX. more...

Introduction The objective was to determine institutional, faculty, and student attributes predictive of the 2016 US News & World Report (USNWR) pharmacy rankings and to explore if student attributes modify program rankings. Methods Institutional attributes and student and faculty resources and outcomes were obtained from various sources. Regression analyses predicted rankings. Results USNWR rankings were higher for older programs, those located at an academic health center or classified as a research-intensive institution, and members of a Power Five athletic conference. Number of fulltime equivalent faculty, Pharmacy College Admissions Test composite percentile, pharmacy practice h-index score, funding rank, and first time North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) pass rate predicted higher rankings. Nearly 45% of programs in the empiric models left or entered the top 25 rankings compared with the existing USNWR method (range 31 place increase to 22 place decrease). Among USNWR top 25 ranked programs, 16 remained in the top 25 in all four empiric models and three were not included in any of the models. Six USNWF unranked programs moved into the top 25 by one or more of the empiric models. Conclusions Faculty and student attributes significantly impact program rankings, while impact of institutional attributes is negligible if independent of student and faculty attributes. Faculty numbers and productivity influence USNWR rankings more than student academic preparation and success on NAPLEX. These findings will inform efforts to improve the validity of the USNWR rankings and identify programs that are both prestigious and of high quality. more...

Objective. To assess the value of a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program using the Tuition: Licensure Index (TLI), a de novo metric combining tuition and licensure pass rates. Methods. The TLI is a ratio of program tuition and licensure pass rates, where separate indices are derived for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination or NAPLEX (ie, TLI-N) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (ie, TLI-M). The TLI can be further nuanced depending on use of in-state (ie, TLI-N(i) and TLI-M(i)) or out-of-state (ie, TLI-N(o) and TLI-M(o)) tuition. The TLI-N for the 2018 cohort was used in this analysis. Total program tuition and NAPLEX pass rates were obtained from publicly available sources. Differences in traditional vs accelerated and public vs private programs were examined using the TLI-N categories “one or less” and “greater than one.” Results. While differences in TLI-N(i) category (ie, “one or less” and “greater than one”) for traditional vs accelerated PharmD programs were not significant, a major difference was found in the TLI-N(i) category for public vs private programs. No differences in the TLI-N(o) category for public vs private or for traditional vs accelerated programs were found. Conclusion. In-state public (vs private) PharmD programs may be preferable for optimizing value. Prospective students are encouraged to consider a school’s tuition and licensure pass rates when selecting a PharmD program. more...

Objective. To evaluate the degree of cognitive test anxiety (CTA) present in student pharmacists at multiple pharmacy programs in the United States and to determine if there are associations between self-reported CTA and relevant academic outcomes. Methods. All 2018-2019 advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) students from three US Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs (N=260) were invited to participate in the study. Participants completed a validated 37-question survey that included the Cognitive Test Anxiety Scale-2 (CTAS-2) along with demographics-related questions. Responses were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), Kruskal Wallace, and multiple linear regression where appropriate. Results. One hundred twenty-four students (48%) from the three programs participated in the study, and the individual data of 119 (46%) were included in the final analysis. Twenty-two students (18.5%) were classified as having high CTA, 41 (34.5%) as having moderate CTA, and 56 (47.1%) as having low CTA. High CTA predicted a 8.9 point lower NAPLEX total scaled score after accounting for other variables and was also correlated with lower cumulative didactic GPA, performance on the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA), and increased likelihood of requiring course remediation. Conclusion. High cognitive test anxiety affects 18% of pharmacy students and may significantly impact their performance on a variety of traditional student success measures, including the NAPLEX. Pharmacy educators should consider further use and adoption of test anxiety measurements to identify and assist potentially struggling students. more...

Introduction Student perceptions of active learning methods in medicinal chemistry education and correlation of those perceptions with academic performance measures have not been well studied. Methods Perceived usefulness of six active-learning activities (study guides, team activities, assignments/quizzes, make your own questions, and two types of in-class live polls) was evaluated by survey. Correlations between perceived usefulness, active-learning activity grade, course grade, first-time North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) score, and Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) score were examined. Results Students perceived study guides as the most preferred activity while in-class live polls were least preferred. However, students agreed that all methods were useful to varying degrees. Although no significant correlation was seen between perceived utility of active-learning and course grades, positive correlations were observed between active-learning grades and NAPLEX (0.32), active-learning grades and PCOA (0.311), course grades and PCOA (0.449), and course grades and NAPLEX (0.483). Furthermore, correlation of PCOA and NAPLEX scores (0.456) was in line with previously published studies. Conclusions Students found active-learning approaches to be useful to varying degrees. Active-learning activity and course grades had moderate, positive correlations with both NAPLEX and PCOA scores, suggesting that these active-learning activities may contribute to success on standardized exams. more...

Introduction: There is a plethora of preparatory books and guides available to help study for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX). However, the quality of questions included has not been scrutinized. Our objective was to evaluate the quality of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) construction in a commonly used NAPLEX preparatory book. Methods: Five students and two faculty members reviewed MCQs from the RxPrep 2018 edition course book. Item structure and utilization of case-based questions were evaluated using best practices for item construction. Frequency of item writing flaws (IWF) and utilization of cases for case-based questions was identified. Results: A total of 298 questions were reviewed. Twenty-seven (9.1%) questions met all best practices for item construction. Flawed questions contained an average of 2.53 IWF per MCQ. The most commonly identified best practice violations were answer choices containing differing length and verb tense (21%) and question stems containing too little or too much information necessary to eliminate distractors (16.6%). Of the case-based questions, the majority (61.9%) did not require utilization of the provided case. Conclusions: This pilot analysis identified that a majority of MCQs in one NAPLEX preparatory source contained IWF. These results align with previous evaluations of test-banks in published books outside of pharmacy. Further evaluation of other preparatory materials, to expand on the findings from this pilot analysis, are needed to evaluate the pervasiveness of IWF in preparatory materials and the effect of flawed questions on utility of study materials. more...

Objective. Understanding student characteristics and risk factors for performance on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) may help schools and colleges of pharmacy target limited resources. This study aimed to evaluate two sets of Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) student variables for their effect on NAPLEX performance. Methods. Data were collected from five schools and colleges of pharmacy over three years (2016-2018). Relationships between variables were first examined with bivariate correlations, and then by a series of multiple regressions using a structural equation modeling approach. Two sets of analyses were conducted using the outcome variable of NAPLEX scaled score. The first set examined variables at admission to the program while the second set examined performance variables during the PharmD program. Results. Students’ score on the Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) had the highest bivariate correlation with their NAPLEX score, with area 4 and area 2 having the strongest correlations. The correlations of Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) subtest scores with NAPLEX scores were significant but smaller. Admissions variables of incoming science grade point average (GPA) and PCAT area scores were significant predictors of performance on the NAPLEX, but these variables were entered in separate models as they explained the same variance (each approximately 15%). The PCOA area scores and GPA before starting advanced pharmacy practice experiences (pre-APPE GPA) were significant predictors and explained about 25% of the variance in NAPLEX scores. Conclusion. Pharmacy students’ PCOA area scores and pre-APPE GPA were significant predictors of their NAPLEX scores. Information in this study can be used by pharmacy schools to efficiently target support services to students for enhanced NAPLEX performance. more...

Objective. Studies have examined possible predictors of success on the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX). This systematic review investigated the literature on potential predictors of success on the NAPLEX. Findings. Articles were included in the review if they studied student characteristics and academic performance as independent variables and NAPLEX scores and/or pass rates as an outcome. Data were extracted from each article for students’ demographics or variables, sample size, methods of statistical analyses, and results reporting correlation or predictability. From 40 articles retrieved from the initial search and sorting, 20 studies were included in the final review per inclusion criteria. Three studies included all the pharmacy programs, 15 were single-institution studies, two were multi-institution studies, and four had been published as posters. Among 30 different variables identified as potential predictors of success on the NAPLEX, the most examined variables were student age at matriculation, having a prior degree, Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) scores, cumulative pharmacy school grade point average (GPA), overall Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) scores, and PCOA content areas scores. Positively correlated factors included PCAT scores, not having a prior degree, prepharmacy and pharmacy school GPA, institutional characteristics, and PCOA scores. Negatively correlated factors included older age at admission. Summary. Cumulative pharmacy school GPA and PCOA scores were predictors of NAPLEX success consistently in the studies. The effects of preadmission student characteristics on NAPLEX success varied and were not consistently correlated or predictive. more...

Introduction This study aimed to survey Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) preceptors’ perception of students’ competency in pharmacy informatics during their APPE rotations or experiences based on the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) version 2.0 accreditation standards. Methods All APPE preceptors associated with the University of Cincinnati were emailed a link to the survey. Follow-up interviews were conducted on pharmacy preceptors to identify reasons for nonresponse. Results In total, 33 surveys were returned from the 288 preceptors contacted. Respondents believed the pharmacy students displayed the highest levels of competency in domain four regarding the benefits and current constraints in using information and communication technology in health care. However, respondents believed pharmacy students had the lowest competency on items included in domain three regarding data in continuous quality improvement initiatives. Half of the respondents believed the students’ knowledge was inadequate on all items included in this domain. This corresponds with nearly half of the respondents also rating pharmacy students as having inadequate knowledge of unified medical language system and meaningful use in domain one. Follow-up interviews identified that some preceptors did not feel comfortable with pharmacy informatics themselves. Conclusions This preliminary study showed that the majority of responding pharmacy preceptors believed pharmacy students had a reasonable understanding of the reasons for systematic processing of data, information, and knowledge in health care and the benefits, current constraints in using information, and communication technology in health care. However, they felt their knowledge was inadequate surrounding some basic terminology and use of data in continuous quality improvement initiatives. more...

Study objective To evaluate the effect of A Structured Program to guide Resident Experience in Research (ASPIRE) on pharmacy residents' knowledge, confidence, and attitude toward research. Design Nonrandomized controlled study using data from a validated questionnaire administered through an online survey. Participants Of 60 pharmacy residents (residency year 2013-2014) who completed the baseline assessment, the 41 residents who also completed the follow-up assessment were included in the final analysis; of those, 26 Colorado pharmacy postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) and year 2 (PGY2) residents were enrolled in ASPIRE between July 2013 and June 2014 (intervention group) and 16 PGY1 and PGY2 pharmacy residents outside of Colorado did not participate in ASPIRE (control group). Measurements and main results Both the intervention and control groups completed a pre- and post-assessment at the beginning (July 2013 [baseline]) and end (May/June 2014 [follow-up]), respectively, of their residency year that measured knowledge (with a tool measuring biostatistics and research methodology knowledge), confidence, and attitude toward research. Research knowledge scores improved similarly from baseline to follow-up in the intervention and control groups: 11.8% and 11.3%, respectively (adjusted p=0.8). Research confidence improved significantly more in the intervention group, with a 48% increase in confidence score from before to after residency completion, compared with a 15% increase in the control group (adjusted p=0.002). Residents in both the intervention and control groups expressed positive attitudes toward pharmacist-conducted research, with 100% and 87% of intervention and control residents, respectively (adjusted p=0.970), agreeing that pharmacist-conducted research is essential to driving pharmacy practice and expanding the roles of pharmacists. Conclusion ASPIRE was not associated with greater research methodology knowledge but did significantly increase confidence in performing research. more...

Objective. To describe the design and outcomes of a longitudinal integrated pharmacy course. Methods. The Applications of Pharmacy Practice is a one-credit course that was built into the revised curriculum at Howard University College of Pharmacy. This course is offered during the first six semesters and meets once every three weeks for a total of five sessions per semester. Each session integrates curricular material from all courses running during a given semester into an individual, case-based assessment and a team activity. Team activities are evaluated using rubrics developed based upon the Entrustable Professional Activities for Pharmacy Graduates. Results. First-year students were enrolled into the inaugural course in Fall 2018 and Spring 2019, and the majority of students achieved final course grades that fell between 70% and 89% at the conclusion of each semester. Students reported that the course was helpful in developing their critical thinking skills and helped them keep up with semester material. Although the majority of students believed the addition of the course to the curriculum was beneficial, some also felt the course expectations to keep up with all course material was too high. Conclusion. Applications of Pharmacy Practice appeared to be beneficial to students and faculty, allowing integration of semester material. This integration of material reduced compartmentalization of knowledge between clinical, administrative, and pharmaceutical sciences content within a semester. Future studies investigating the impact of this course on overall student success and standardized assessments such as the NAPLEX and/or Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) should be explored. more...

Objective. To examine the relationships between pharmacy students' Myers-Briggs Type Indicators (MBTIs) and their first-attempt NAPLEX scores within an accelerated, dual campus curriculum. Methods. Data from the MBTIs and NAPLEX findings were retrieved from a single cohort of the Columbia, SC and Savannah, GA campuses of South University School of Pharmacy. A multiple linear regression technique was performed to assess the degree of variability in first-attempt NAPLEX scores that could be accounted for by MBTIs, campus of enrollment, and gender. Results. Of the 134 student data samples collected, 119 (86%) were included for study analysis. Campus of enrollment and MBTIs were predictive of first-attempt NAPLEX scores. Introversion personality types scored 9.5 points higher on the NAPLEX than extroversion types; feeling personality types scored 6.0 points higher than thinking types; students enrolled at the Savannah, GA campus scored 5.7 points higher than their Columbia, SC campus counterparts. Conclusion. Certain personality types were shown to have predictive value with regard to first-attempt NAPLEX score achievements. These results offer plausible insights into pharmacy student tendencies that can affect success on high-stakes standardized examinations. Additional research into sociological aspects of pharmacy students' composition may assist with optimizing performances on licensure examinations as prerequisites to proficient careers within the pharmacy profession. more...

Introduction The objectives of this study were to (1) report the length in weeks of advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) of US pharmacy programs in 2016 and (2) compare first-time North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) pass rates according to the length in weeks of the programs' APPEs. Methods First-time NAPLEX pass rate was obtained from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy public web page. The length in weeks of programs' individual APPEs (iAPPEs) and program characteristics were obtained from the individual pharmacy programs' web pages. Analysis of variance was used to compare iAPPE length and first-time NAPLEX pass rate and multiple regression was used to quantify the independent influence of iAPPE length on first-time NAPLEX pass rate. Results The length in weeks was evenly distributed among four-, five- and six-week iAPPEs for NAPLEX testing years 2013 to 2015, although six-week iAPPEs have been preferred recently. The first-time NAPLEX pass rate was not associated with the total APPE length or whether the program used four-, five- or six-week iAPPEs for all three years and for the three-year aggregate pass rate. Conclusion Six-week iAPPEs were the most common, but not the majority among pharmacy programs. Longer total or individual APPEs did not translate into higher first-time NAPLEX pass rates. Length of iAPPE rotations can be chosen without concern that student pharmacists' performances on first-time NAPLEX pass rates will be significantly impacted. more...

Objective. To determine if the new 2016 version of the North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) affected scores when controlling for student performance on other measures using data from one institution.Methods. There were 201 records from the classes of 2014-2016. Doubly robust estimation using weighted propensity scores was used to compare NAPLEX scaled scores and pass rates while considering student performance on other measures. Of the potential controllers of student performance: Pharmacy Curricular Outcomes Assessment (PCOA), scaled composite scores from the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT), and P3 Grade Point Average (GPA). Only PCOA and P3 GPA were found to be appropriate for propensity scoring.Results. The weighted NAPLEX scaled scores did not significantly drop from the old (2014-2015) to the new (2016) version of NAPLEX. The change in pass rates between the new and old versions of NAPLEX were also non-significant.Conclusion. Using data from one institution, the new version i... more...

Objective. To examine the relationship between the NAPLEX and Pre-NAPLEX among pharmacy graduates, as well as determine effects of pre-pharmacy, pharmacy school, and demographic variables on NAPLEX performance. Methods. A retrospective review of pharmacy graduates' NAPLEX scores, Pre-NAPLEX scores, demographics, pre-pharmacy academic performance factors, and pharmacy school academic performance factors was performed. Bivariate (eg, ANOVA, independent samples t-test) and correlational analyses were conducted, as was stepwise linear regression to examine the significance of Pre-NAPLEX score and other factors as related to NAPLEX score. Results. One hundred fifty graduates were included, with the majority being female (60.7%) and white (72%). Mean NAPLEX score was 104.7. Mean Pre-NAPLEX score was 68.6. White students had significantly higher NAPLEX scores compared to Black/African American students. NAPLEX score was correlated to Pre-NAPLEX score, race/ethnicity, PCAT composite and section scores, undergraduate overall and science GPAs, pharmacy GPA, and on-time graduation. The regression model included pharmacy GPA and Pre-NAPLEX score. Conclusion. The findings provide evidence that, although pharmacy GPA is the most critical determinant, the Pre-NAPLEX score is also a significant predictor of NAPLEX score. more...

Objective. To compare Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) scaled scores and North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) pass rates in students who completed a two-week intersession remediation or repeated a course with the scaled scores and pass rates of students who did not require any form of didactic remediation and did not have to repeat a course. Methods. Data examined for this study included NAPLEX/PCOA scores, NAPLEX pass/fail status, and remediation history for students at one college of pharmacy. Students from the graduating classes of 2016, 2017, and 2018 were organized into four groups: non-remediation, one course remediation and no repeats, more than one course remediation and no repeats, and one or more course repeats. Differences were analyzed using linear regression, logistic regression, and Pearson correlations. Results. The PCOA scores for students in the remediation groups were significantly lower than scores for students in the non-remediation groups, with a reduction of 37.8 to 50.9 points from the expected non-remediators’ score. The NAPLEX scores for students who remediated more than one course or repeated one or more courses were 16-20 points lower compared to students who did not remediate. The likelihood of a student failing the NAPLEX was also not significantly lower for students who remediated one course but was significantly lower for other remediation groups. Conclusion. Although single course remediation in this curricular model appears to have minimal impact on NAPLEX outcomes and may be an acceptable intervention for many students, additional support and interventions may be warranted for students who qualify for remediation in multiple courses and/or for repeating a course. more...

Objective. To examine the effect size of third professional (P3) year students’ grade point average (GPA) on Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) scores and to summarize the effect size of PCOA scores on North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) scores. Methods. To accomplish the objective, meta-analyses were conducted. For inclusion in the meta-analysis, studies were required to compare PCOA scores to and report data that permitted calculation of a numeric effect size for the chosen outcome variables. Multiple databases were searched, including PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, ProQuest Dissertations and Thesis (abstract limited), Academic Search Complete, and Google Scholar. Correlations were used as the effect size metric for all outcomes. All analyses used an inverse variance weighted random effects model. Study quality was reviewed for each study included in the meta-analyses. Results. This study found that PCOA scores were moderately correlated with P3 GPAs, accounting for 14% to 48% of the variability in PCOA scores. The meta-analyses also showed that PCOA scores were moderately correlated with NAPLEX and accounted for 25% to 53% of the variability in NAPLEX scores. Both meta-analyses showed a high degree of heterogeneity and many studies included were of low quality. Conclusion. This first set of meta-analyses to be conducted on the PCOA showed that third professional year GPA does correlate with PCOA results and that PCOA scores correlate with NAPLEX results. Though there are significant limitations to interpretation of the results, these results do help further elucidate the role of the PCOA as a benchmark of progress within the pharmacy curriculum. more...

Objective To determine whether a correlation exists between third-year professional (P3) Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students’ Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) scores and their future National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) scores. Methods In 2009 and 2010, the PCOA was administered to P3 pharmacy students at North Dakota State University (NDSU). Students subsequently took the NAPLEX the following year and released their scores to the school. Parametric analysis of variance and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to assess mean differences in PCOA scaled scores (total and subtopic domain) and NAPLEX scaled scores (total and by competency area). Pearson and Spearman analyses were used to assess the magnitude of the correlations between the PCOA and NAPLEX scores. Results Pearson correlations indicated that the PCOA total and all four subtopic domain scaled scores were significantly correlated with all NAPLEX scores (total and competency areas) with one exception. The PCOA social, behavioral, and administrative subtopic domain score was not significantly correlated with NAPLEX Competency Area 2. Conclusion NDSU pharmacy students in their P3 year who scored higher on the PCOA exam were more likely to score higher on the future NAPLEX exam. Students may be able to use formative assessment data from the PCOA to correct any possible deficiencies prior to taking the NAPLEX. more...

Objective: Compare physical examination instruction and competency expectations between US pharmacy schools. Methods: Pharmacy Practice Department Chairs or their equivalents at all US pharmacy schools were surveyed regarding physical exam instruction and evaluation within their respective curricula. Opinions were also gathered regarding physical exam competency expectations and the need to formally evaluate this skill prior to graduation and for purposes of US licensure and federal healthcare provider recognition. The survey instrument was pretested prior to dissemination. Results: The survey response rate was 56%. Instructional and assessment methods used in teaching and evaluating physical exam skills were similar among responding US pharmacy programs. However, there is variability in the extent of physical exam instruction and evaluation as well as opinions related to physical exam competency expectations prior to graduation and for purposes of US pharmacy licensure and federal healthcare provider credentialing. Overall, 83% of programs require students to demonstrate correct exam techniques via a competency exam; however, only 52% of schools require students to apply physical findings to therapeutic decision-making. Respondents from new schools were more likely to support formal competency evaluation of physical exam skills via objective structured clinical exam for purposes of US licensure and healthcare provider credentialing compared to established schools (p o 0.05). Conclusion: Differences in competency expectations and the extent of physical exam instruction and evaluation in US pharmacy schools illustrate the need for a minimum national standard for this pharmacy practice skill. more...